Pro-Union Regions

[Le Ricain]

There have been discussions on the topic of Unionist regions that are or are not represented in AACW. I thought to open a new thread to give this topic some scope for discussion.

While I have not been able to find the returns for the 1860 election by county, it is still possible to find which counties in the South were pro-union. With some digging, one can find the histories of individual states and their respective counties in terms of their loyalties during the ACW. The next step is to use clues such as names of cities and geographical locations to find the corresponding AACW region.

I have listed below the Unionist regions with suggested union loyalty levels (). What the actual loyalty levels in game should be and the impact of any changes, should be left for the members of this forum to determine.

Alabama

Lauderdale (45), Tuscumbia (45), Andrews (60), Walker (45), Monroe (45), Lawrence (45), Madison (45), Jackson (45), Mason (45), Jefferson (45), Ash (45), Jones (45), Warren (45), Calhoun (45), Taldega (45) and Fulton (45).

Note: Andrews is the location of the well known 'Free State of Winston' which defended itself from various attempts by the CSA to take control.

Arkansas

Fayette (75), Van Buren (45), Smith (45), Booneville (45), Panther (45), Welcome (75), Ozark (45), Dan (45), Bald (45), Carroll (75), Yell (45), Lebanon (75), Clinton (45), Athens (45), Pocahontas (45). Hobel (45) and Bates (75).

Note: I included Panther in the list although I could find no information on this region. Panther is geograhically consistent with the rest of Unionist Arkansas.

Florida Loyalties all (40)

Hernando, Marion, Ockawaho, Volusa, Pasco, Sumter, Orange, Polk, Clay, Cape Canaveral, Hillsboro, Seminole, Kissimmee, Osceola, Mannatee, Desoto, Brevard, Warner, Holmes, Indian Mounds, Lauderdale, Fort Drum, Big Swampgrass, The Everglades, Little Lake Worth, Big Cypress Swamp, Ft Lauderdale, Mangrove Swamp and Key Biscayne.,

Georgia

Gordon (60), Rabun (45), Catoosa (45), Floyd (45) and Whitfield (45).

Note: I believe that Gordon includes real life Pickens County. Pickens County is well known for flying the Union Flag from their county court house for much of the war.

Louisiana

Lebanon (40), Walter (60) and Anvil (40)

Mississippi

Tippecanoe (45), Tishomingo (45), Stark (45), Henry (45), Covington (45) and Augusta (60).

Notes: Augusta contains Jones County. Jones County is well known in Mississippi as the 'Free State of Jones'. While it is debated whether Jones County actually declared its independence or not, what is known is that CSA cavalry battled Pro-Union Partisans defending their county. Also, immediately after the war the Mississippi Legislature, as punishment, renamed the county and its county seat to Davis County (as in Jeff) and Leeburg respectively. The later Reconstruction Legislature restored the county's names.

North Carolina

Western North Carolina

Hay (45), Buncombe (45), Cherokee (45), Edgecombe (45), Madison (45), Watauga (45), Caldwell (45), Wilkes (45), Allegheny (45) and Anson (45).

Notes: Wilkes was nicknamed "The Old United States" by its neighbouring counties.

Eastern North Carolina

Hyde (45), Bertie (45), Washington (45), Tyrrell (45) and Craven (45).

Notes: At time of the ACW Hyde County included the offshore islands containing Forts Clark and Morgan. These regions supplied the troops that made up the 1st and 2nd North Carolina (US) Regiments.

Tennessee

Western TN

Henry (40), Decatur (40), McNairy (40) and Hardin (40).

Notes: These counties were traditional Whig supporters.

Eastern TN

Overton (40), Putnam (40), Grundy (40), Cannon (40), Fentress (45), Emory (40), Hamilton (45), Scott (80), Morgan (70), Roane (70), Bradley (45), Monroe (35), Blount (70), Knox (49), Anderson (70), Claiborne (70), Grainger (45), Greene (70), Sevier (70), Hawkins (45), Carter (70) and Cocke (45).

Notes: Knoxville was probably 50/50 in terms of its loyalty.

Texas

Kaufman (45), Marshall (40), Pleasant (40), Sherman (40)and Quitman (40).

Virginia

Lee (40), Scott (40), Russell (40), Washington (40) and Smyth (40).

Notes: Obviously, the Unionist sentiment of these regions was not enough for them to actually join West Virginia. However, there is a story (alas, untrue) that the western most county received its name, Lee County, from a post war state legislature as a punishment and a reminder of who they should have supported during the war.

[Kotik]

I have seen in the game as confederates that the areas Fort Morgan and Fort Clark (both are in NC) is on are strongly unionist, is this correct or a error?

[Banks6060]

I don't know what an extra 10 percent loyalty would garner an invading army, but I suppose it's worth looking at.

[Jabberwock]

I have seen in the game as confederates that the areas Fort Morgan and Fort Clark (both are in NC) is on are strongly unionist, is this correct or a error?

Hatteras Island (where Ft Clark is located) had very little population, none of it anywhere near the fort. Once Fort Hatteras (across the inlet) was taken, it was used as a camp for contrabands.

Ocracoke Island (the next island to the south, CW pop. @ 600) didn't really want any part of the war. O-cokers sent very few recruits (maybe 25-30 total, most going to the Confederates) to either side. Several residents did assist in the building of Fort Ocracoke, where Ft Morgan? is shown on the map. Mostly the residents served as pilots, and since it was all northern gunboats using those inlets ...

I also just noticed that the tooltip for Ocracoke Inlet says 'Ocracock Inlet'. They use some funny alternative words and spellings out that way, but I doubt that one was still in common use by the mid 19th century.

[Jabberwock]

If the southern unionist regions get adjusted, then northern copperhead regions should get adjusted at the same time. Off the top of my head:

The triangle formed by Cape Girardeau, Cincinnati, and St Louis was known as "butternut country".

Pope's first assignment was fighting guerillas in northeast Missouri.

The northern counties of West Virginia were considerably less enthusiastic unionists than the southern counties.

[Le Ricain]

I have seen in the game as confederates that the areas Fort Morgan and Fort Clark (both are in NC) is on are strongly unionist, is this correct or a error?

Well spotted. They were pro-union. Somehow I missed the eastern North Carolina Unionist regions. I have added them to the list.

[Le Ricain]

If the southern unionist regions get adjusted, then northern copperhead regions should get adjusted at the same time. Off the top of my head:

The triangle formed by Cape Girardeau, Cincinnati, and St Louis was known as "butternut country".

Pope's first assignment was fighting guerillas in northeast Missouri.

The northern counties of West Virginia were considerably less enthusiastic unionists than the southern counties.

I agree.

[Gray_Lensman]

deleted

[Clovis]

I agree.

Little Egypt ( South of Illinois State) had strong Confederate sympathies.

[Jabberwock]

These changes would open a can of worms that is unnecessary to be introduced into the game.

These changes should be done as a mod, and then evaluated for the suitability of introduction to the game.

[LMUBill]

Scott County Tennessee is missing.

From the TN Encyclopedia
"During the Civil War, Scott Countians were strongly Unionist in sentiment. U.S. Senator Andrew Johnson denounced secession at a courthouse speech in Huntsville on June 4, 1861, and the county voted against secession by the greatest percentage margin of any Tennessee county. In fact, local residents so opposed the Confederacy that later in 1861 the county court approved a protest resolution that announced the county's secession from the State of Tennessee and the creation of a "Free and Independent State of Scott." Guerrilla warfare occurred in the county during the Civil War, but no major battles occurred within the county's boundaries."

[Le Ricain]

Scott County Tennessee is missing.

From the TN Encyclopedia
"During the Civil War, Scott Countians were strongly Unionist in sentiment. U.S. Senator Andrew Johnson denounced secession at a courthouse speech in Huntsville on June 4, 1861, and the county voted against secession by the greatest percentage margin of any Tennessee county. In fact, local residents so opposed the Confederacy that later in 1861 the county court approved a protest resolution that announced the county's secession from the State of Tennessee and the creation of a "Free and Independent State of Scott." Guerrilla warfare occurred in the county during the Civil War, but no major battles occurred within the county's boundaries."

Scott County lies east of the line of regions: Overton, Putnam, Grundy and Cannon. Scott County would have been pro-union. I did not bother to list all of these regions.

An interesting event to consider would the 'State of Nickajack' which would be the secession of East Tennessee, possibly North Alabama and possibly North Georgia from the CSA.

[8thTnCav]

Unionist loyalties of some regions are often wildly overstated. The myth of a monolithically pro-union East Tennessee was largely the product of Lincoln’s wishful thinking and postwar yankee history/propaganda.

Sullivan County in the heart of upper East Tennessee was the staunchest pro-Confederate county of all counties in East Tennessee, referred to as “the little Confederacy of East Tennessee.” The loyalty of counties in East Tennessee was along the following lines:

Strongly pro-Confederate counties: Sullivan, Sequatchie, Rhea, Meigs, Monroe, and Polk

Divided: Marion, Hamilton, Bradley, McMinn, Bledsoe, Knox, Cocke, Grainger, Hancock, Hawkins, and Washington

Strongly unionist counties: Scott, Morgan, Roane, Campbell, Anderson, Claiborne, Blount, Sevier, Jefferson, Greene, Carter, Johnson

Also, the counties in Southwest Virginia were less unionist and more strongly pro-Confederate than suggested.

Deo Vindice

[Coffee Sergeant]

I'm not sure looking at the vote count would mean a whole lot. Lee for instance, was personally opposed to secession, but he did fight for the South when 'his country' (Virginia) join the Confederacy.

[Jabberwock]

I'm not sure looking at the vote count would mean a whole lot. Lee for instance, was personally opposed to secession, but he did fight for the South when 'his country' (Virginia) join the Confederacy.

This happened a lot. That is why I only want the data to look for correlations, not editing purposes. Lots of southerners voted for Bell, and then joined the CSA army right after Sumter. Bell himself was a little old for that, but he did encourage southerners to fight against 'coercion'.

[Jabberwock]

I'm not sure looking at the vote count would mean a whole lot. Lee for instance, was personally opposed to secession, but he did fight for the South when 'his country' (Virginia) join the Confederacy.

This happened a lot. That is why I only want the data to look for correlations, not editing purposes. Lots of southerners voted for Bell, and then joined the CSA army right after Sumter. Bell himself was a little old for that, but he did encourage southerners to fight against 'coercion'.

[Jabberwock]

Unionist loyalties of some regions are often wildly overstated. The myth of a monolithically pro-union East Tennessee was largely the product of Lincoln’s wishful thinking and postwar yankee history/propaganda.

Overall I think the loyalty system is fine, but the data (or lack of data) is the problem. Most regions currently have loyalty ranges of from 85-100%. If more (disloyal) regions had ranges from 55-70%, then they would retain their basic loyalty, unless the other side put an occupying force in the region for an extended period, and had some strategic success as well. If the owning side had strategic success and/or an occupying force, those regions would become more loyal. That seems more realistic to me, without a monolithic switch of loyalties, or getting too deep into a "can of worms".

[Le Ricain]

Unionist loyalties of some regions are often wildly overstated. The myth of a monolithically pro-union East Tennessee was largely the product of Lincoln’s wishful thinking and postwar yankee history/propaganda.

Sullivan County in the heart of upper East Tennessee was the staunchest pro-Confederate county of all counties in East Tennessee, referred to as “the little Confederacy of East Tennessee.” The loyalty of counties in East Tennessee was along the following lines:

Strongly pro-Confederate counties: Sullivan, Sequatchie, Rhea, Meigs, Monroe, and Polk

Divided: Marion, Hamilton, Bradley, McMinn, Bledsoe, Knox, Cocke, Grainger, Hancock, Hawkins, and Washington

Strongly unionist counties: Scott, Morgan, Roane, Campbell, Anderson, Claiborne, Blount, Sevier, Jefferson, Greene, Carter, Johnson

Also, the counties in Southwest Virginia were less unionist and more strongly pro-Confederate than suggested.

Deo Vindice

Really good info.

Using your and LMUBILL's posts, I have gone ahead and completed the Eastern Tennessee list. The AACW regions that I left out were Sullivan (which would have included Polk County), Rhea (which would have included Sequatchie County) and Meigs.

I left in Monroe. Initially Monroe County was pro-union, but with Fort Sumter the county went strongly pro-confederate. So far so good. However, in addition to the 14 companies Monroe raised for the CSA, Monroe also raised 14 companies for the USA during the course of the war. This sounds like divided loyalty to me, but you seem to know more about this than I do and I will follow your advice.

[Le Ricain]

Unionist loyalties of some regions are often wildly overstated. The myth of a monolithically pro-union East Tennessee was largely the product of Lincoln’s wishful thinking and postwar yankee history/propaganda.

Sullivan County in the heart of upper East Tennessee was the staunchest pro-Confederate county of all counties in East Tennessee, referred to as “the little Confederacy of East Tennessee.” The loyalty of counties in East Tennessee was along the following lines:

Strongly pro-Confederate counties: Sullivan, Sequatchie, Rhea, Meigs, Monroe, and Polk

Divided: Marion, Hamilton, Bradley, McMinn, Bledsoe, Knox, Cocke, Grainger, Hancock, Hawkins, and Washington

Strongly unionist counties: Scott, Morgan, Roane, Campbell, Anderson, Claiborne, Blount, Sevier, Jefferson, Greene, Carter, Johnson

Also, the counties in Southwest Virginia were less unionist and more strongly pro-Confederate than suggested.

Deo Vindice

8thTNCAV,

Where would place the western regions that I did originally list in terms of divided or strongly unionist? These regions would include the counties of Overton, Putnam, White, Van Buren, Warren, Cannon and Grundy.

[Le Ricain]

Overall I think the loyalty system is fine, but the data (or lack of data) is the problem. Most regions currently have loyalty ranges of from 85-100%. If more (disloyal) regions had ranges from 55-70%, then they would retain their basic loyalty, unless the other side put an occupying force in the region for an extended period, and had some strategic success as well. If the owning side had strategic success and/or an occupying force, those regions would become more loyal. That seems more realistic to me, without a monolithic switch of loyalties, or getting too deep into a "can of worms".

'Great minds think alike' or 'Fools rarely disagree', I forget which applies, but I agree completely with your assessment. Once the actual regions are decided, I think that the next step is to determine their relative loyalty in terms of divided or strongly as per 8thTNCav. I can do the first pass and post. 8thTNCav & LMUBill have started things off with TN.

[chainsaw]

I have some info about 1860's Florida:
1. It had a very low population (smallest in the CSA), and most lived in the northern "panhandle"
2. There was a large pro-union sentiment, but I could not identify which counties or regions;
3. By mid-war the southern portions of the state were effectively a no-man's land.

In game terms - propose that you leave the north part of the state "as is" but reduce CSA loyalty to <60% for the central and southern. By mid war the CSA lost control of that portion due to confederate deserters, run-away slaves, etc.

Some sources include -
"By 1860, on the eve of the Civil War, the population was 140,424 people; about 80% of them lived in the state's northern rim, where cotton and sugarcane plantations flourished." ( So less than 30,000 lived in the central or southern portions of the state). Source: US Census data

"Anti-war sentiment grew in Florida during the latter stages of the war. The state became a haven for Confederate deserters and draft evaders and by late 1864 Confederate control over the state was effectively reduced to portions of northern and central Florida." Source: The Smallest Tadpole: Florida in the Civil War
http://www.floridamemory.com/OnlineClassroom/FloridaCivilWar/history.cfm

[Le Ricain]

I have some info about 1860's Florida:
1. It had a very low population (smallest in the CSA), and most lived in the northern "panhandle"
2. There was a large pro-union sentiment, but I could not identify which counties or regions;
3. By mid-war the southern portions of the state were effectively a no-man's land.

In game terms - propose that you leave the north part of the state "as is" but reduce CSA loyalty to <60% for the central and southern. By mid war the CSA lost control of that portion due to confederate deserters, run-away slaves, etc.

Some sources include -
"By 1860, on the eve of the Civil War, the population was 140,424 people; about 80% of them lived in the state's northern rim, where cotton and sugarcane plantations flourished." ( So less than 30,000 lived in the central or southern portions of the state). Source: US Census data

"Anti-war sentiment grew in Florida during the latter stages of the war. The state became a haven for Confederate deserters and draft evaders and by late 1864 Confederate control over the state was effectively reduced to portions of northern and central Florida." Source: The Smallest Tadpole: Florida in the Civil War
http://www.floridamemory.com/OnlineClassroom/FloridaCivilWar/history.cfm

Thanks, good info.

[LMUBill]

Really good info.

Using your and LMUBILL's posts, I have gone ahead and completed the Eastern Tennessee list. The AACW regions that I left out were Sullivan (which would have included Polk County), Rhea (which would have included Sequatchie County) and Meigs.

I left in Monroe. Initially Monroe County was pro-union, but with Fort Sumter the county went strongly pro-confederate. So far so good. However, in addition to the 14 companies Monroe raised for the CSA, Monroe also raised 14 companies for the USA during the course of the war. This sounds like divided loyalty to me, but you seem to know more about this than I do and I will follow your advice.

Actually on the AACW map, 3/4ths of Polk County is in the Monroe, TN region. (The other 25% is in the Bradley, TN region).

Same thing with Sequatchie County, on the map it is half in Rhea and half in Grundy.

So it's all good.

[Le Ricain]

Actually on the AACW map, 3/4ths of Polk County is in the Monroe, TN region. (The other 25% is in the Bradley, TN region).

Same thing with Sequatchie County, on the map it is half in Rhea and half in Grundy.

So it's all good.

Thanks for the correction. It was late last night and I mixed up north east with south east corners.

[Le Ricain]

I have completed the Pro-Union regions. I would appreciate any comments from the forum.

The next step will be the Copperhead Regions.

[Old Peter]

This should add a lot of historical accuracy to the game. I've often wondered why East Tennessee is perfectly loyal to the CSA, vice versa with Southern Illinois.

Old Peter

[Jabberwock]

I found an interesting source.

The History of North America vol. 14 (The Civil War From a Southern Standpoint) ch. 3-4 (pp. 71-126)

Some border state population analysis tables are included on pp. 73-75, with information compiled from the 1860 census, and the 1870 census where 1860 data wasn't available.

If anyone can locate volume 15 (The Civil War From a Northern Standpoint) or a better copy of vol. 14, please post them.